How much did a programmable thermostat save you?

[blairhoney]

My apartment doesn't have a programmable thermostat and I'd like to put one in - but I'd be paying for it out of my own pocket. I'm not positive I'll live here next winter, so just want to check -- how much did a programmable thermostat save you? Right now gas bills for us are running $130-180 for wintertime use. 

[lyterae]

This is our first winter with a programmable thermostat, I'm not certain how much it has saved us at this point. However, I do have to say that it has been fantastic! We have programs set-up so that the temp will drop at night and them turn on in the morning about a half hour before we get up, and that it will turn down while we're at work and again, start coming on before we get home so the house is warm. We no longer have to worry about if we turned it down before we left the house. We have really enjoyed having it.

[sunnysandiegan]

Just keep the old one. Take the programmable thermostat with you when you move and put the old one back in place.

[Rosehip]

How much do they cost?  If you have pretty reliable daily routines that allow for times when people would be out of the apartment or sleeping, and you don't remember to turn the thermostat up & down yourself now, I think it would be worth the convenience & savings.  Like a PP said, you can always take it with you.

[Think of Winter]

We pay equal payments spread out over the year, and our monthly cost for gas heat dropped a good 20%.